How can you lead change in higher education?

During 2022 - 2023, "Student Voice will be the Loudest" was the top priority for our college. We intentionally listened to students in a variety of ways. Students were featured on a panel in our annual fall forum, and a follow-up survey was distributed to the entire student body afterward. Various departments at multiple locations conducted surveys and focus groups. I held President Pop-Up Office hours each semester at each location. Then about 40 faculty/staff volunteered to conduct interviews with students of their choosing. Interviewers submitted student comments to a shared document, and we conducted a thematic analysis of the results. The combined results of these efforts were used to establish four priorities for 2023-2024.

With the advent of AI and multiple learning platforms the change is a must and it’s happening at a rapid pace which higher education institutions can’t manage at the moment. Unschooling is possible in near future and physical universities will be confined to social gathering and networking whilst online platforms for knowledge acquisition

One thing that has always bugged me as a student and early career HE professional is when senior administrators determine a vision without consulting those of us at the bottom. At the top it's easy to lose sight of what it's like at the bottom, but as leaders, senior administrators have the responsibility to make these decisions while taking into account the perspectives of those doing the more technical work. If they don't, resentment will build and students will pick up on the inconsistencies. It's a headache for everyone. So to communicate the vision, don't shout it down from the ivory tower. Get down from it and build a vision collaboratively.

I found as a college student and as a new higher ed professional that we forget that it's STUDENT affairs, not self-serving affairs. There is no way we can please everybody with whatever changes we're making, but we must remember that a higher education institution is nothing without students. Nifty labs, renowned faculty, rich histories mean nothing without students. Never forget that students--including the "squeaky wheels" and "rabble-rousers"--are stakeholders too and we owe it to them to include their voices and contributions meaningfully in the change process.

In my industry and experience, engaging with students as soon as possible is critical to make a long lasting impact. Don’t wait until they’re in high school. If you have a skill set that could be of interest to the younger generation, find a way to involve them on a community level. In my part of the country, 4-H and FFA clubs are a great start to find eager students.

One thing I've found helpful in leading change at our institution is building trust among those that will be affected by the change. Any institutional change requires buy-in from faculty and/or staff. Garnering their trust early on, allowing them to have a voice, and including them in the planning stages of the change is vital for success.

Compreender o Contexto e as Necessidades: Antes de iniciar qualquer processo de mudan?a, é essencial compreender profundamente o contexto institucional e as necessidades da comunidade acadêmica. Articular uma Vis?o Inspiradora: Desenvolva e articule uma vis?o inspiradora para o futuro da institui??o, alinhada com os valores e objetivos estratégicos. Promover a Colabora??o e a Participa??o: Envolver todas as partes interessadas no processo de mudan?a, promovendo uma cultura de colabora??o, transparência e participa??o. Estabelecer Metas Claras e Mensuráveis; Fomentar a Inova??o e a Experimenta??o; Fornecer Suporte e Recursos Adequados.